ALLEGED "UNDUE INFLUENCE."

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12753, 28 March 1910, Page 4

ALLEGED "UNDUE INFLUENCE."

An extraordinary case of alleged "undue influence" was that brought by cxecuto/s < f tro Misses Cohen against a — r. ...:.uiey (writes a Lon<lon correspondent). Lucy Cohen died in 1906, aged 66; Louisa in 19Uo, aged 08. In 1870 Bradley, then aged 17, became second 'footman in their mother's house, lie roso to be butler and eventually married the lady's maid and took a Mayl'air house, where his wife let lodgings. Uut lie also became the ladies' house steward, and apparently, their general business man. Mr. Arthur Lucas^ their second cousin, and executor of- both wills, and with him, in Lucy's case, Mr. Arthur Cohen, K.C. (their first cousin), and Lords llosebery and llothschild (as co-executors), demanded an account of moneys received and payments made by Bradley, and the -voiding of gifts, conveyances, and transferb made to him. It was alleged that in J. 6 years £193,000 of the ladies' money was paid to him or passed through hfs hands and he admitted, -apparently, receiving £60,000 in gifts, which the plaintiffs asserted more probably to be £80,000. Defendant said that as house, steward he received £200 a year, with '£2oo for his houso rent, and £200 for the education of his children ; also, after 1891, £000 a year for supplying the ladies with the produce'of a farm which they bought for him for £2000. In 1900 they bought biin -more land in Sussex for £5000, aud. gave him £10,000 to build a house there. In 1897 they transferred to him securities worth £32,000. He had a power of attorney to sign cheques for Miss Lucy's household at the rate of £1000 a month. The ladies wrote to him in effusive terms, and are said to have left their affairs entirely to his advice. He maintained that the gifts wore made to him largely in lieu of a legacy (Miss .Lucy left £35,000 of her £500,000 to. Lord Rosebsry's children). Mr. Bradley* eounterclaimcd for £10,000 bequeath- 1 ed to him by Miss Lucy, aud on the basis of this the case was suddenly settled 011 the second day, Mr Bradley foregoing that legacy and retaining his gifts and an annuity ol £300, and it being clearly stated that there was no suggestion of dishonesty.